Humanity
by Queen of Blades
Summary: the sequal to Queen of Blades, but you don't have to have read it for this one to make sense. RaynorKerrigan post brood war flick
1. Prolauge

HUMANITY

Disclaimer: I do not own Blizzard, and they own Starcraft. I only own... well, if I told you it would ruin the suspense. The 2 new characters are mine, and the plot.

Not: If you have not read Queen of Blades, I recommend you do so, or some references will be a bit odd, but if you haven't, it's alright, you won't be TOO lost.

Prologue

_      She was trapped, stifled, stuffed into the back of her own mind. There she existed, fighting day and night for the little piece she claimed at the edge of the great abyss. She could see and hear, but it was like seeing the bottom of a shallow pool, or hearing someone else's headphones. She had tried calling out only to be blocked by the alien mind that had stolen her body from her. She could not move, nor speak, for she had no body, nor mouth. She could only watch as the alien that claimed her body destroyed the lives of those she had loved. Though she knew not who she was, others would call her Lieutenant._

_Lieutenant Sarah Kerrigan._

_Queen of Blades._

Ok, it's short, and I guess you probably knew who she was already, but just in case. The real chapters are longer, and more about Jim than Sarah anyways. REVIEW!!!!


	2. Chapter one: Raynor

Chapter one: Raynor.

Marshall Jim Raynor awoke. His clock said 0256. "Wonderful. 3 AM." He grumbled. He had been having a nightmare. Even in this remote corner of the galaxy, he could not forget the horrors he had witnessed during the Brood Wars. But he had not dreamt of half-eaten civilians, nor fallen comrades, nor Zerg exploding in mid-air. Instead he dreamed of an attractive young ghost-soldier.

Normally, a dream like that would not be a nightmare, especially since he had loved her. Nay, still loved her. But halfway through the dream her sweet face became tired, sunken, then panicked, as it was the last time he had seen it. She began to be dragged away by an invisible force, and Jim was stuck in mud or something, unable to get to her fast enough. Suddenly, she became his worst enemy, the Zerg Queen of Blades. 

What made this dream so hard to shake off was not the fact that he had it nearly every night, nor that it was so vivid and real. It was that it was a pretty accurate dream. Zerg had overrun his beloved Sarah, and he had been too late to save her. The Zerg had captured her alive and turned her into their loyal minion, the dreaded Queen of Blades.

What shocked him at 3 in the morning was that the dream had changed. Now, instead of simply waking up at the fearsome sight of his enemy, her expression changed to one of sadness, and he found himself still in the dream. Her head became Sarah's again, and it said "seek and ye shall find." Then he woke up and saw his clock.

He splashed some cold water on his face in the bathroom. He knew from experience that he would not be able to get back to sleep. Instead, he took a datapad from his bedside table and wrote about his dream. He dared not use the voice feature at this hour. Then he programmed a general alert to his crew. They would set a course for one or the fringe worlds, Garm. What he didn't mention was the message he had received from his old friend Tassadar the evening before. 

"Jim!" Tassadar had said. "You look terrible! Have you been getting much sleep lately?"

"No."

"Nightmares again? You really should see one of our healers, what you call Psychiatrists."

"I'm not goin' to no shrink, Tass. But that can't be the only reason for this call."

"No, old friend, I'm afraid you're right. We have reason to believe there is a large Zerg brood on Garm."

"That's nice."

"The colony there is rather new. I think… if one of the legendary Zerg hunters came…"

"So then go, and leave me out of it."

"I'm actually needed on Auir for a meeting."

"So who are you sending?" Jim already knew the answer.

"Well, er, I kind of thought…"

"No."

"So hostile, Jim! So bitter! This just isn't like you!"

"So?"

"well, actually, to tell you the truth, I had a vision."

"And? I was under the impression they were pretty common among your people."

"You were in it."

"What was I doing? Shooting you for coming up with this stupid idea?"

"_She _was in it."

"I'm listnin'." 

"I think you should go to Garm, Jim"

"We'll see. It's getting late. Goodnight, seer of visions."

"Goodnight, Cranky one."

And so he left the note to his crew telling them of the course change and went to try to sleep.

At 0600 hours he rolled over and got up. He had not slept in the 3 hours he had tried. He went to have breakfast and got in his Sheriff's outfit, ignoring the untouched Marine outfit an the broken comlink on the shelf n his closet. He went to the bridge and told the captain to go to hyperspeed at will. He warned him to let the men finish their breakfast first. He went back to his room.

On the shelf in his closet, beside the broken comlink, he placed a single red rose he had bought the day before on the planet. "Oh Sarah", he whispered, a tear running down his cheek, "I've failed you so many times. Are you still calling to me? Can there still be hope, after so long?"

A bit of background info before the fun begins. R+R, please!! I have written the entire story, and a sequel, but I am behind on uploading. If you haven't read Queen of Blades, you should. Then you will understand the broken comlink bit.

Next chapter: My favorite minor character appears!!!


	3. Chapter 2: Transformations

Chapter 2: Transformations

They arrived on Garm and headed out to the supposed coordinates of the Zerg base. His men knew something was wrong, but they chalked it up to their moody commander. He didn't talk about his past much. Some of the younger boys didn't believe he WAS the legendary Jim Raynor. 

But he was, of course. He could sense when Sarah was about, and he knew they were getting close. He dreaded meeting her again. He would not, however, order his men not to shoot at her. She deserved death. But he himself would not, could no kill her. So, like a coward, he hid behind his men, let them do the deed that would dive him insane.

He was so lost in thought he failed to notice they were being followed until a hoard of Zerglings took out the back half of his squadron. _Sarah, _he thought grimly as he turned and fired. _She always did like Zerglings. _As he radioed for help a Zergling knocked him on the head. His last thought before he lost consciousness was the irony of it all.

----------------------

When he awoke, he was cold. It had been a warm summer's day when he had been hit. He was on something hard, like stone. He winced a bit at his headache, then opened one eye a sliver. He saw 2 hydralisks guarding the door to his cell. He was deep underground.

"No use pretending to sleep still, human. And no use pretending to be dead. I can smell your breath."

Not hydralisks, then, but hunter-killers. They were a bit smarter and a heck-uv-a-lot more powerful.

"You've been summoned. The Queen wishes to see you."

That explained the human building guarded by Zerg. He got up, wincing. He was covered in bruises. The hunter-killers took him to a large room, the walls lined with Hydralisks standing at attention. There was a fancy sort of throne, upon which sat the Queen of Blades. The Hunter-Killers shoved Raynor to his knees before her.

"Arise, prisoner. I see you have met Gog and Magog. And this is Bob."

She gestured to the zergling she held on her lap. It growled at Jim.

"Bob's a little cranky. He hasn't had his supper yet. Hmmm. Bob, have you been a good boy? Do you deserve a treat? Human is his favorite."

She looked up at him, and he could feel her cold eyes boring in to him. She was reading his mind. He tried to keep his thoughts from betraying him.

He sneered. You piece of Zerg trash! Haven't you done enough damage without terrorizing the people of Garm, too? Get your own planet, scum!"

"Who are you to say such things to the Queen of Blades?!?!?!?!" She demanded, outraged

"At least I'm still human! I didn't sell out like you did! " If he could just get her mad… perhaps she would challenge him to single combat.

She was strangely calm yet. "I see. I have the perfect punishment for insulting the Queen. Provided the Overmind agrees…"

He could feel himself being exposed, searched into.

_He shall do nicely._

Jim blacked out.

------------------------

It was pitch black. Jim couldn't see. He could not move. He felt the Overmind watching him, and another mind watching as well. He shoved them both out. They were harder to move than he suspected. He continued to struggle to break free.

__

Must they always be so tiresome? Yet this one is stronger than the last, and I am impatient. Perhaps seeing the other fall fill break his spirit.

Suddenly, Jim saw Sarah, as the Overmind saw her. He saw her fall in battle, and saw himself arrive too late. He saw her become cocooned in the Chrysalis, and could feel her struggle. He saw nothing, but felt her call to him, resist, struggle, even as he was winning. She had been in the cocoon a long time before it matured. The Overmind showed him in real time how she fought, day and night, for freedom. He felt sick. His heart broke again and again, as they stayed one step ahead of his past self. But he was capable of multitasking. On some level, he was analyzing her plan. It would not work for him. No one was coming to save him. So he began a new plan.

------------------------------

The playback was done. The human was defeated, as his Queen had been earlier. He allowed the Zerg mind to take over without a fight, drawing into himself. He was much diminished. _Awaken, my son, and enter the Swarm._

Yes.

You are ready to meet the Queen. Arise, King of Pain, one who suffered much and will make others suffer the same.

-------------------------------------

But Jim was not defeated. The Overmind could not understand the human mind. Jim simply built a wall between his mind and the alien's, and slipped mostly into his subconscious. He acted defeated, and therefore had an advantage. He bided his time, growing stronger each day. But Sarah, in her weakened state, could not read deep enough into him to get past the alien mind, and despaired. It killed Jim to see her like this. But he forced himself to wait.

Finally, he got his chance. One night they slept near each other. In sleep, the alien mind slipped into unconsciousness. Jim, careful not to wake it, slipped to the front of his mind and thought _"Sarah?"_

He could tell she "heard" him. She broadcasted her thoughts to him. _"Jim? Is that you?"_

"Yes. Don't alert the Overmind. Listen: stop struggling. Build a wall so he Overmind can't see. Gather your strength and hide it in your subconscious. We can escape!"

He had trouble understanding the feeling she broadcasted now. It was not a direct thought. It was doubt. She didn't doubt him, though. She thought it was a good plan. She doubted herself. It was like she was saying "Good, go on, do it, I know you can, bon voyage, I wish I could come too." It was more than mere doubt. It was that she Knew she could not do this thing he was asking.

__

"I won't go without you, Sarah."

"No, go on, I'd feel better if I knew my love lived."

"Sarah, what happened? You used to be so brave, so daring. Now, you won't even save yourself. Come with me. Here, like this…"

And he showed her what he had done, and she halfheartedly followed his example, and she stopped fighting. And he slipped back into safety, but the link remained, and he comforted her, and slowly she grew in strength.

And they both watched as the Overmind used them for killing squadrons that were sent to find Jim. And Jim was horrified, but no matter what, he remembered it had been worse for her, and did not lose hope, but helped to heal her broken spirit.

And in time, Jim reached the point where he was undoubtedly stronger than the alien mind, but Sarah was not, so he waited for her. And he waited 3 months until she thought she could do it, then another month to be sure. And one night they pushed out the last shred of the Overmind's control, and spread their wings, and flew away into the night.

No, It's not over, there are a bunch more chapters and 2 more fics. R+R!!!

BTW, for all of you saying "But Sarah doesn't have wings!" My theory is that the spines actually have a very thin see-through layer of something and so can act as wings. Just believe it and move on. It's crucial to the story or it wouldn't be there.

PS anyone know how I can post a pic of Jim?


	4. Chapter 3: Lester

Chapter 3: Lester

            "Is that a Zerg, Sarge?"

            "Maybe, Lester. Could be a mutilisk. Flyin' type a Zerg. Dart it and see."

            "Why we always got to dart 'em for? Why can't we kill 'em??"

            "'Cause they pay more for live ones, stupid."

            "Aw, that don't seem like no good kinda reason to me," grumbled Lester.  But he raised the gun and shot the figure, and it fell from the sky. "Yep, I got 'em. Hey, what's that?"

            Another figure shot out from the cliff and dove after the first. 

            "Dart it, Lester!"

            He did. 

            "I don't think that's a Zerg, Lester. I think you got some poor birdie."

            "Well, I'm gonna go get it in the truck. Them's good eaten'!"

            "Suit yourself. I'm goin home."

            So Lester went to the place the pair had fallen. "Well, that shore ain't no birdie. I bet it IS a Zerg. I'm bringin it in!" So he loaded them in the back of his pickup and covered them with a tarp, and he drove to 2-river station, where they paid for dead Zerg and paid more for live ones. They gave out bonuses for new species.

            He drove to the guard-booth at the entry point.

            "I gots me a pair of flyin' Zerg.  Looks like a nested pair."

"Mornin' Lester. Zerg don't nest."

"Well, one came out after the other from a cliff-cave, so they MUST have a nest, I reckon."

"This isn't another zergling with paper-mache wings, is it?"

"Naw, that was Sarge's idea."

"Well, let's have a look-see. Hmm. Never seen this kind before. Over around to the left, then, to the New Species Area."

Lester followed the directions until he reached another guard station, this time manned by Protoss.

"Mornin', Lester. This wouldn't be another Zergling with paper mache wings, would it?"

"Mornin' Tassadar. O' course not! That was SARGE'S idea!!!"

"Well, let's take a look."

When he opened the tarp, Tassadar gasped. He stared at the 2, mostly the male, for a good while.

"What I ketch?"

"Looks like you caught a Queen of Blades, Lester."

"Oh, yeah? That right? What about the male?"

"I'd wondered what happened to you, old friend." He said softly. "Ok, that's 2000 each plus a thousand for the truck."

"I'm not sellin' my truck!"

"2000 for the truck."

"OK!"

Tassadar hopped into the driver's seat and took off, leaving Lester with 6,000 credits and a long walk ahead of him. He told the nurses to take are of these 2, he wanted them alive. He gave them an evil looking glare to hurry them. But instead of rushing off to attend to other business as usual, he stuck around. Jim would have some explaining to do. /This could be good.

Short and sweet, eh? R+R so I know someone cares and I may hurry up uploading the next chap. I have this story, and it's sequel, all written out in my notebook, so it's just how fast I can type and upload. REVIEW! I am working on the last 2 fics in the series and need input on how it will end…


	5. Chaper 4: 2 river station

Chapter 4: 2 river station

Jim once again woke up in an unfamiliar place. But this time he was tied down. As soon as he had his wits about him he smelled people. He broke loose with a roar and stood on the table he had been placed on. He looked about for Sarah. He saw her unconscious on another table and hopped down to see if she was alive. He smelled something else in the room. It wasn't Zerg and it DEFINATLY wasn't Human. He sniffed again as he took his beloved's pulse. 

"Hello Tassadar."

"Hello, Jim. Why so hostile?"

He was unnervingly calm. Jim finished taking her pulse. It was sluggish. He stood up indignant and angry.  

"Why isn't someone watching her??!?!?!!?!?"

"You kind of scared them all away."

"??GET IN HERE BEFORE I RIP YOU ALL TO SHREDS!!! I NEED A NURSE IN HERE!!!!!"

"Sheesh!"

"WHY is she still unconscious?!?!"

"They, er, refused to wake her up. I promised she wouldn't kill them. At least, I assume so. What happened?"

"I found a way to break their control over us, and we ran away. She is entirely herself again."

"And you?"

"I am who I always was."

Obviously not. He was stronger, more muscled than she, with large, batlike wings and less grace.

"And that would be…"

He caught on.

"Marshall Jim Raynor, hater of Mensk, lover and protector of Sarah."

"Ahh, my buddy! I must confess I had a powerful mental attack all set, just in case. But Zerg know not love, and adore titles, and would say 'Commander Jim Raynor, the great Zerg-killer, king of such and-such."

"Yes, yes very nice. But WHERE'S THE NURSE!!?!?!"

A small girl stepped tentatively into the room.

"sir? the nurses want to know if she is the dreaded queen of blades," she said in a small voice. "please don't eat me."

She barely caught the look of compassion in his eyes before it was gone and replaced my anger.

"I don't have TIME FOR THIS!!! Tell them it's Lieutenant Sarah Kerrigan, loyal to the Terran forces, and she hates the Zerg, and GET IN HERE!! She could DIE ya'know!!!"

"yes sir."

She left.  A minute later a nurse/healer walked in, slowly, still afraid of the great man and his consort. She simply observed the scene. Tassadar stared at the 2 Zerg, while the male gazed lovingly at the female. He stroked her cheek gently with one claw, whispering in Zerg to her. It was a decidedly human gesture. In hie eyes were love, compassion, anxiety and fear, all of which were unknown to the Zerg. Then he smelled her and glances up, his eyes filled with anger- NOT unknown to Zerg – and his face twisting into a snarl.

"Don't just stand there, WAKE HER UP!!!"

She understood his anger now. But she had her morals, after all. 

"no."

"WHAT?!?!?!?" Now his eyes held fear and the snarl was gone. He turned pale.

"No. Sir, she is the Queen of blades. She'd kill us all!"

The anger was gone now. He was deflated. He turned back to the still figure.  The nurse continued.

"And you, sir, are Commander Jim Raynor, who loved her once, when she was human."

"I love her still." Came the reply. Then, louder "She is human still! The Overmind has no control over her any longer. She is herself again. She is Sarah Kerrigan!"

The name alone was a legacy in and of itself. But the nurse pressed on.

"Sarah Kerrigan did her share of killing, as well."

"WHERE did you hear THAT?!?!"

"It's written in books…"

"Did your precious books tell you she was violently ill after each battle? Did they tell you she killed because of chemicals in her brain planted by the Confederates? Did they tell you she only placed the Psi emitter against her will by direct order of her commander? DID THEY TELL YOU THAT SAME COMMANDER BETRAYED HER?!?! DID THEY?!?"

"… jim… "

He immediately forgot his anger, as well as everything else in the room, and bent over her at the slight touch, the whispered word.

"yes, darlin'? What is it? I'm here. It's alright."

 She groaned. He looked up, his eyes pleading. "Help her. Please," he whispered. The nurse got to work.

                                                                                    -----------------------------------

The whole time she monitored the pair, he never left his love's side. She had been badly injured in the fall. She was there for 3 days, and never once did any nurse catch Jim asleep. He began to look worse than her. Jim and Tassadar talked. They had a lot to catch up on. 

After 73 ½ hours, she finally regained consciousness. There were Marines posted outside the door to the "Queen's Bedchamber" now, just in case. The first thing she saw when she awoke was him.

"Where… where am I?"

"2 river experimental base, Zerg unit, new species room #3" 

Her eyes grew large at 'Experimental Station', and he could see blind panic in them. He smelled her terror as she thrashed against her bonds.

"Shh, no, it's alright, they've been taking care of you, it's ok, Tassadar runs the place, he's here, I'm here, I won't let them hurt you."

She relaxed a bit, comforted as much by his presence as his promise of safety. 

"Uuhn. Kay. Next question: how did I get here?"

"When you were… darted… I dove to protect you from injury. I, too, was darted.  A man named Lester brought us here. They pay cash for… specimens."

He did not mention the nurses' aversion to her, nor the seriousness of her illness. He tried to be truthful as well as protect her from the harsh reality. But all the same, her eyes went dull as she realized what he had said. He un-buckled her and she stood, spying the nurses.   She succumbed to a beastly urge inside her and a need for privacy and hissed, sneered, and raised her wing-spines. The terrified nurses fled before her. She turned back to him, herself again, but not herself, dead inside, the living shadow of herself that he knew all too well. So he used the one method he knew of to help her. He kissed her. When they kissed, it still felt like the first time, her helpless in his arms, him supporting her, both falling into bliss. And the sparkle returned to her yes, and she seemed human once more, for Zerg do not kiss, nor do they live. And she loved him with all her heart.

                                                            ------------------------------------

What do you think? Too sappy? Well, I finished the next two fics in the series, so I just need to type everything up. Just wait until you see my original characters! But I need to get to work on ch. 5. I'm also watching Free Willy. Go, Willy, GO!


	6. Chapter 5: Choices

Free Willy just ended. That song, "Will You be There?" by Michael Jackson, is totally the theme to this chapter. Ok, let's begin.

Chapter 5: Choices.

Tassadar watched all of this with apparent mild disinterest. He knew of no way to ease pain this great, and therefore offered no council. He saw of their great love and rejoiced; he saw of their great pain and despaired. But he was willing to try.

"What are we going to do, Jim?" she seemed so lost, so alone.

"You have a few choices. You could try living in society, creating laws allowing Infested Terrans to be counted as Terran, not Zerg, and therefore have your rights restored to you. But you would be surrounded by fear and hatred, and probably be assassinated pretty quickly. Or, you could return to living in a cave, hiding from humanity, and never see a human or possibly even a Protoss, face again until you die of old age or get shot down by an angry mob."

They both stared at him. They had forgotten Tassadar even existed, much that he watching them.

"Umm… ok." Said Raynor after a minute.

"Isn't there a good option?" asked Sarah.

"No. there is, however, a third option. Jim, you would be welcome on Auir. You could settle with us and learn the ways of the Templar."

"That's great!"

"I regret to say, however, that the invitation does not extend to the Queen of Blades. I'm sorry. If it was my decision both of you could both live in peace among us. But I'm reasonably certain the Dark Templar would not like having her there."

"Jim…"

"No.  I thank you for your offer, but…"

"Jim, go."

"No. Not without you."

"You could be happy, you could…"

"But I love you."

"There's another somewhere, a…"

"No! You're the only…"

"Human, or a Protoss…"

"…one I'm ever gonna love, Sarah…"

"… they might be able to turn you back…"

"It don't matter."

"I'll be fine, Jim, really!"

"You two don't have to decide now. The offer stands for as long as the Templar and you or your descendants live."

Jim turned to him.

"I think you for your offer, but I think I shall refuse. No, Sarah, you can't change my mind. My life is my own, my path is of my own choosing, and I shall not leave you."

"The question remains, Jim, what WILL we do?"

Jim's face darkened. "We can't rejoin civilization, that's for sure."

"YOU could."

"We've already been through this, Sarah."

"I'll leave you two alone to think about this." Tassadar left.

Jim was suddenly awkward. Sarah wondered if something was wrong. She debated reading his mind.

"Um, Sarah, er…"

"Yes, Jim?"

"Well, er, this is kinda hard to say, but… well…"

"It's alright, Jim, just say it."

"Alright, then. Is the reason you want me to go to Auir that you don't like me? That you think I'm a coward? Are you angry at me?"

She seemed confused. "Why ever would I be?"

"Oh, Sarah, I failed you. I could have stopped you, I should have been quicker getting to you, I almost gave up, I hesitated when you needed help, you were so brave, YOU never gave up…"

"Oh, Jim, I'm not mad. Some courage when there is nothing you can do! You're not a coward. You're human, that's all."

He looked defeated. He gestured to himself. "Am I? Am I really?"

"Yes, Jim, you really are, deep down inside."

"Then… is it… that you don't love me like I love you?"

She was shocked. "Jim, I never… I always… Jim, I do love you. I always did. I always will. If I didn't do enough to show it... I was afraid, Jim, so afraid."

"That say with Mensk… I thought… when you stopped it, I…"

"No, Jim, I stopped it precisely BECAUSE I loved you. I was afraid, so afraid to love, Jim, afraid to want to do anything but kill or obey you. That's why you should go. Me, I deserve death, I'm not even human. You… you saved lives, and I took them. You deserve to be happy. You have inalienable rights, Jim, and I have blood on my hands. You deserve better than me."

"Sarah, you don't understand. I love you. I want to stay here, with you. Nothing would make me happier. I would never forgive myself if I left you to die onthat god-forsaken rock. You're my true love, darlin', and  I ain't gonna leave you. Not for anything."

"Oh, Jim, I hope this isn't a mistake."

"Me, too, darlin'. Me too."

OK, the entire series is not sappy! PLEASE REVIEW!!


	7. Chapter 6: Zerglin's

Disclaimer: I own the 2 new characters in this chap. You'll see. And some things in this chapter,  you just have to accept. If you bust a brain cell, not my fault. Just take it for granted and go.

Chapter 6: Zerglins

            Sarah was pregnant. *author's note: just go with it. *. They were worried about their child. Would they be Zerg, or human? Would they be bloodthirsty? Psychic? Evil? Kind? Dead?

            But the birth passed with only one hitch: there were two of them. Twins. Psiona and Jennifer. Psiona was a delight. Light brown hair, bright blue eyes like a cloudless summer's day. Jennifer, however, had night black hair and purple eyes, strange and mysterious. Jim and Sarah rejoiced that they were both born human, apparently.      

            But a week later, Jim noticed small bumps on the infant twin's shoulders. 2 weeks after their birth, small wings were evident on Jennifer. Both also had fangs. He tried to hide it, but Sarah noticed. More than once he awakened to find her staring at her children and sobbing quietly in the middle of the night.

By the time they were 3 months old, there was never a sparkle in their mother's eyes. But the fangs had disappeared. And there were times he turned around, swearing he had seen one or the other without wings. But no, there they were. The babies looked more Zerg every day.

One day, as the twins were playing beside a stream, Jim hid behind a boulder to watch. Jennifer, always the more alert one, checked around for anyone watching before plunging in. When she came up, she had a tail instead of legs and no wings. Psiona also became a maiden of the sea, or rather stream.  

"Well I'll be. The little tyke's a shapeshifter! Both of them!" exclaimed Jim in wonderment.

But when he relayed this news to Sara, she grimaced.

"What? It's good news!"

"No, it's not."

"Why? The little zerglin's'll be able to look normal!"

"But they're not. Don't you understand? They're freaks! They'll never be normal!"

                                                                                                --------------------------------------

That night there was a storm. Thunder awakened the twins. Jim huddled over them, wondering where Sarah had gone. Perhaps to get more wood for the meager, dwindling fire. But just then, a flash of lightning illuminated the cave-mouth. Jim saw a figure silloeted there, one he knew well. She spread her arms, lowered her wings, and jumped!

Just then another clap of thunder sounded and both twins screamed. Jim knew not if it was for their mother or fear of thunder. He dove after her yet again, and saw she did not spread her wings. She fell down, down, down and down, down he dove, trying to catch her.

But it was too late. She landed scant seconds before Jim in a mossy patch of swamp. Luckily, she was not dead. She had broken nearly every bone in her body, but still she lived. Barely. 


	8. Chapter 7: 'Xel Naga

Chapter 7: 'XelNaga

            "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!" Jim howled into the infinite rain and clouds. "By the power of the Templar, someone SAVE HER! Asardi Templari!" He did not know why he screamed about Protoss and spoke gibberish into the rain. But as he did, a hole cleared in the clouds and he was bathed in light. The light was all around him. He could only see light and her poor, broken body in his arms.

            _State your wish._

"Save Her! Heal Her!

_Her flesh is of the swarm. It would heal itself faster than we can._

"WHAT?! You mean we are invincible! All this time…"__

_NOT invincible. Invulnerable, at best. Removal of major organs, stopping of the heart or lungs, decapitation, or poison will interfere with the healing process sufficiently as to render it useless. Also loss of 87% or your blood. It was compensation for having minimal brains. _

"Ah. So she's not going to die."

_No. Make another request._

"Who ARE you?"

_Irrelevant._

"Yeah it's relevant! I asked, didn't I? 'Cause the way I see it, if you're some kinda evil or something with limitations…"

_Rest assured, Human, for we are the '__Xel__Naga__._

He paused at the "'Xel Naga", and was astonished.  So astonished, in fact, he failed to notice they had called him "Human". The name was one of power, not to be taken lightly.

"I see. Can you… will you…? I mean…."

_We cannot heal her pain. However, we can take from her the most painful of her memories, the root of her pain._

"Really! That's great! What's the catch?"

_She will not know you when she awakens._

"WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!"

_Specify nature of query._

"Why won't she remember me?"

_All memories of you are too closely linked to painful ones._

He thought about this. They met amidst a war, while she was questioning herself. Their first kiss: moments after learning that her planet's destruction was confederate-ordered, seconds after learning of his brother's death. She realized her love for him while trapped inside the chrysalis. Their escape, their life together, all tainted by the Overmind and Mensk's betrayal. 

_She would know that she had been human once, of course, but have no clear memories of most of her pre-Zerg memories, and no memory at all of the Chrysalis or her life before you two escaped. She will think you just escaped yesterday._

"One last question."

_Ask._

"Is it, would it be right? Would she finally be happy?"

_Possibly. Try it and go find out._

"Do it." _Goodbye, my love._

The light pulsed and flared and they were at the bottom of the cliff. She was bruised, but not seriously injured. She was just coming to.

"What… what happened? My head hurts. Who are you?"

He tried to sound jolly though his world was ending and his heart was breaking.

"Well, that there fall musta damaged your head, darlin'! I'm Jimmy. Me and my boys sprung you, 'member? You might not; you were under some heavy mind control, there. Lucky we found you so quick. Anyhow, I was just getting you settled in that there cave up on the cliff. You and your fascination with storms! That was some fancy acrobatics on that ledge up there! Why didn't you try and catch yourself? You GOT wing-spines, ya'know!"

"I'm not sure… I'm tired, Jim."

"That's alright Darlin', you sleep."

And she didn't know why but she trusted him, and she fell asleep in his arms.

As he flew her back up the cliff, he thought about the children. What would he say? What COULD he say? More importantly, what would he DO? Leave them both with her? Take them? For he knew he had to go away, least he slip and bring back awful memories. And yet, he didn't think he wanted to be alone. Certainly Sarah had a claim to them, however. So he decided to do the best thing possible: split them up.

They arrived. "Who are they?" she asked softly.

"Must be some bump on the head make ya forget your own kid!"

"They're mine? "

"One of 'em, Jenny, I believe. Psiona here's mine."

"DADDY! Daddy's home!"

"No, sweetie, I'm not your daddy. Cut kid, Sarah."

Jennifer looked confused, and then her eyes went misty, then shockingly clear again. "Ok Uncle Jimmy."

"That's a good girl."  _Would ya look at that! The kid's a mind reader! I'm gonna miss her when I'm gone._

"Are you leaving, Uncle Jimmy?"

"Yes, sweetie. I have to go get myself and Psiona settled somewhere."

"You could stay here…"

"No, darlin', I've gotta get goin', I'm to stay with some friends of mine, the Protoss Templar. You'll be alright?"

"Yes, I feel better already…"

"I'll stay the night just to be sure."

                                                                                    -----------------------------

It was a perfect morning. The sunshine and the birds singing tore at Jim's heart. He knew it would be the last time he saw his love and his daughter again. Sarah was looking better than he'd ever seen her. With her life having been so hard, it was almost disturbing to see her now. She was pretty. No, she was radiant. A creature of beauty and grace, like a butterfly. And Jennifer. So young, but so bright. She was… dark. Dark hair, dark eyes… he would miss her so much. Both of them. But it was for the best.

"Well, I'm off then. Take care of yourself, alright?" _I love you, __Sarah__, __Jenny__, I always will._

"Alright."

"Farewell!"

As he left, Sarah wondered why she felt so sad at his departure. She wondered where she'd seen this man before.

Does the walker choose the path or the path the walker?

-Sabriel, by Garth Nix.

Will she remember? Does it matter? What about Jenny and Psiona? Do you see now why this fic will never end? But never fear, for I am about to start typing up the sequel, Wanderess. In the meantime, check out The Joy of Pepsi for Those Who Think Young and Big Brother Kingdom Hearts Style under Game Crossovers for more interesting Starcraft-related things. TTFN!

Oh, and a big thanks to Austin for putting up with my evil review-checker. 


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